Immunological approaches to the control of animal trypanosomiasis

Abstract

Control of African trypanosomiasis relies heavily on attempts to eliminate the tsetse fly vectors, and the use of trypanocidal drugs which are not entirely satisfactory. But the prospects for immunological control have a long history - since the last century, explorers and settlers in Africa have progressively exposed their horses and cattle to tsetse bites (a process known as 'salting') in an attempt to build up some degree of immunity to the disease. More recently, immunologists and biochemists have used modern techniques to explore the possibility of suitable vaccines. In this article, Vinand Nantuyla discusses the problems and possible contributions of the immunological approach.